Camp QUILTBAG

Contributors

By Nicole Melleby

By A. J. Sass

Formats and Prices

Price

$7.99

Price

$11.99 CAD

From the acclaimed authors of Hurricane Season and Ana on the Edge, an unforgettable story about the importance of and joy in finding a community, for fans of Alex Gino and Ashley Herring-Blake.
 
Twelve-year-old Abigail (she/her/hers) is so excited to spend her summer at Camp QUILTBAG, an inclusive retreat for queer and trans kids. She can’t wait to find a community where she can be herself—and, she hopes, admit her crush on that one hot older actress to kids who will understand.

Thirteen-year-old Kai (e/em/eir) is not as excited. E just wants to hang out with eir best friend and eir parkour team. And e definitely does not want to think about the incident that left eir arm in a sling—the incident that also made Kai’s parents determined to send em somewhere e can feel like emself.

After a bit of a rocky start at camp, Abigail and Kai make a pact: If Kai helps Abigail make new friends, Abigail will help Kai’s cabin with the all-camp competition. But as they navigate a summer full of crushes, queer identity exploration, and more, they learn what’s really important. Camp QUILTBAG is a heartfelt story full of the joy that comes from being and loving yourself.

  • ALA Rainbow Round Table Top Ten Pick
  • * "Warm and affirming . . . A timely and necessary addition to any elementary or middle school library, especially as LGBTQIA+ children are seeking examples of loving communities who fully embrace every part of them."
    School Library Journal
  • “Middle-schoolers find increased self-awareness and solidarity at an LGBTQ+ camp in this empathetic, widely representative novel…Prominent in queer middle-grade fiction, Melleby and Sass write with incredible compassion, crafting a sweet summertime romance while modeling difficult conversations and valuable lessons in inclusivity. An instructive, affirming pick for rainbow readers and allies.”
    Booklist
  • “The main characters stand as loving depictions of cis lesbian and nonbinary kids.. It captures that camp feeling of getting away from home, meeting different people, and growing as a person, all over the course of just two weeks.  At its heart, an enjoyable summer camp story.”
    Kirkus Reviews
  • "Distilling many relatable experiences and engaging with themes of layered identity, this important story highlights the importance of queer camaraderie and education.”
     
    Publishers Weekly
  • "This engaging, gently affirming novel should be valuable to young readers exploring their own identities or curious about those of others.”
    The Horn Book

On Sale
May 30, 2023
Page Count
352 pages
ISBN-13
9781523524020

Nicole Melleby

About the Author

Nicole Melleby, a New Jersey native, is the author of highly praised middle-grade books, including the Lambda Literary finalist Hurricane Season, ALA Notable book How to Become a Planet, Camp QUILTBAG (co-written with A. J. Sass), and The House on Sunrise Lagoon series. She lives with her wife and their cats, whose need for attention oddly aligns with Nicole’s writing schedule. Visit her online at nicolemelleby.com.

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A. J. Sass

About the Author

A. J. Sass-Cao
(he/they) is the critically acclaimed author of Just Shy of Ordinary, as well as the ALA Rainbow Book List Top 10 middle grade titles Ana on the EdgeCamp QUILTBAG, and Ellen Outside the Lines, which was also a Sydney Taylor Honor Book. He splits his time between the San Francisco Bay Area and Northwest Vermont with his husband. He invites you to visit him online at sassinsf.com. This is A. J. Sass’s first picture book.

Noa Kelner graduated from the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design. She works with publishers, newspapers, and magazines, and loves to give stories color and form. She is the cofounder and artistic director of the annual Outline Festival in Jerusalem, which celebrates illustration and creativity and also teaches illustration. She lives in Jerusalem with her husband and three children. Shabbat Is… is Noa’s debut picture book in the United States.

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